SKH-10c-2006P-01 Spiked Head

Description

First recorded spiked head variety on the 2006 Philadelphia Mint Roosevelt Dime, SKH-10c-2006P-01 extends the die clash phenomenon to the ten-cent denomination, where it occurs through the same fundamental mechanism as on Lincoln Cents but produces visually distinct results due to the different design elements involved. On a Roosevelt Dime, the die clash occurs when the obverse and reverse dies contact each other without a planchet between them, and elements of the torch reverse — designed by John R. Sinnock and featuring a torch flanked by olive and oak branches — transfer into the obverse die bearing Roosevelt's portrait. The resulting spike on Roosevelt's head differs in character from those found on Lincoln Cents because the torch reverse has flowing organic forms rather than the geometric lines of the Union Shield. Philadelphia's 2006 dime production operated at high speeds using modern presses, and planchet feed failures occasionally left the die pair unprotected from mutual contact. As the sole documented spiked head for 2006-P, the -01 sequence number indicates either limited die clash occurrence that year or limited research coverage — a distinction that can only be resolved through additional searching. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins and documented January 19, 2019, this variety demonstrates that spiked heads on Roosevelt Dimes, while less frequently reported than on cents, represent a genuine collecting frontier for die variety specialists.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jon Rhodes
• Cross reference: none. 01/19/2019.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References